Function Name	Now
Category	DateTime
Icon
Description	Return the current DateTime
Inputs	None -
Outputs	Result DateTime when mapping occurs
Properties	None -

Usage

The Data Mapper DateTime Now function returns the current DateTime value. When mapping data from one application to another, developers often record information related to the mapping activity itself as well as the data. For example, you may wish to use the mapping time as a record of the last time the data was considered valid within the application context. By using the Now function, you provide a log of the time at which the mapping process was executed, which your target application can then refer to. To apply the DateTime Now function, use the following process:

Create a new Data Mapper file, dragging your XML data source and targets into the editor area. For this example we are using client_source.xsd, an XML Schema Definition inferred from the following source:

<clients>
 <customer business="false">
  <name>Mary Smith</name>
 </customer>
 <customer business="true">
  <name>Steve Jackson</name>
 </customer>
</clients>

For our target schema we will be using client_alt_target.xsd, inferred from the following XML:

<current_customers>
 <client>
  <is_business>false</is_business>
  <contact_name>Jim Brown</contact_name>
  <transferred>2004-03-22T08:20:45.57</transferred>
 </client>
 <client>
  <is_business>true</is_business>
  <contact_name>Jack Taylor</contact_name>
  <transferred>2009-10-15T10:38:23.11</transferred>
 </client>
</current_customers>

The data models client records, with the target including an indicator of a DateTime, which will be the date and time the source data is mapped. Here is the Data Mapper with Source and Target imported:

Drag the DateTime Now function from the Component Palette into the mapping area:

The Now function has no inputs and one output, the current DateTime. The output should be connected to the target item, whether an item in the XML Writer or another component in the Mapper, for example if you plan on using the Now value as input to some other function.

Connect the Now function output to the "transferred" input in the XML Writer.

Now, when mapping occurs, the Mapper will write the current DateTime to a "transferred" element within each "client" parent element in the output.

Finally, connect the remaining inputs and outputs:

We can now execute the transform by pressing Shift-F5 or the Execute button (). The transform is applied and the file we selected as output opens in the editor:

<current_customers>
 <client>
  <is_business>false</is_business>
  <contact_name>Mary Smith</contact_name>
  <transferred>2012-05-03T09:13:52.296875Z</transferred>
 </client>
 <client>
  <is_business>true</is_business>
  <contact_name>Steve Jackson</contact_name>
  <transferred>2012-05-03T09:13:52.296875Z</transferred>
 </client>
</current_customers>

The output contains the DateTime for when the data was mapped.